The ambulance hummed as it rolled down the darkened streets, its headlights casting long beams across the empty road. Inside, two paramedics sat in the front seats, their uniforms slightly wrinkled from hours on duty. The driver, a man in his late thirties with sharp features and tired eyes, glanced over at his partner, Elias Veyne, who sat in the passenger seat, resting his arm on the window.
"You look like hell, Elias," the driver said with a chuckle. "When was the last time you got some real sleep?"
Elias smirked, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sleep? What's that?"
The two shared a laugh before falling into a comfortable silence, the low hum of the ambulance filling the space between them.
"You ever think about quitting?" his partner asked, eyes still on the road.
Elias leaned back, exhaling slowly. "Not really. It's hard, yeah, but... I don't think I could do anything else."
"Why'd you even get into this job in the first place?"
Elias hesitated, staring out at the dimly lit city beyond the window. For a moment, he let the memories surface—the long nights watching his father, a firefighter, rush out to emergencies, the stories he used to tell about saving lives. The sense of purpose it all carried.
He smiled. "I guess... I wanted to do something that mattered. Growing up, I saw my dad run into burning buildings, pull people out, and never once complain. It was never about being a hero for him. It was about being there when someone needed help the most. And I figured... if I could be that person for even one person, it'd be worth it."
His partner nodded, a small grin on his face. "Yeah. I get that. I got into this because my sister... she had a bad accident when we were kids. If it wasn't for the paramedics that night, she wouldn't have made it. I remember watching them work, how calm they were, how fast they acted... I wanted to be that for someone else."
Elias looked over at him, nodding in understanding. "We don't do it for the money, that's for sure."
"Hell no." His partner laughed. "If we did, we'd be the dumbest guys on the planet."
Before Elias could respond, the radio crackled to life.
"Unit 317, respond to a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 7. Reports of multiple injured, some unconscious. Police and fire en route."
Elias sighed, shaking his head with a tired grin. "Guess break time's over."
His partner clicked on the sirens, the red and blue lights flashing as he stepped on the gas. "Let's get to work."
The ambulance surged forward, weaving through the late-night traffic, the world blurring past them. Elias leaned back in his seat, staring ahead, his thoughts racing.
Another call, another life hanging in the balance. You never know what you're walking into, but you go anyway. Because that's the job. Because someone has to.
The ambulance pulled up to the accident scene, the flashing red and blue lights reflecting off the twisted metal and shattered glass. Elias and his partner exchanged glances, taking in the sheer scale of the wreck.
"Damn," Elias muttered, gripping the dashboard. "This is worse than I thought."
His partner nodded. "Looks like a pile-up. We're gonna be here a while."
As they stepped out, they immediately rushed to the injured. Calls for help filled the air as they assessed the wounded. Elias crouched beside a man clutching his leg, blood seeping through his pants.
"Hey, buddy, stay with me," Elias said, grabbing his medical kit. "You're gonna be okay. Can you tell me your name?"
"Jason," the man groaned. "I... I didn't see it coming. One second I was driving, then—bam!"
"It's alright, Jason. We're here now," Elias reassured him. "Just breathe."
Jason winced. "My wife... she was in the car ahead of me. I can't see her. I don't know if she's okay."
Elias glanced around, spotting a woman being attended to by another paramedic a few feet away. "She's over there. We're helping her now. Just focus on staying with me, alright?"
Jason nodded weakly, his breathing labored. "I just don't understand how this happened... who the hell was driving like that?"
Elsewhere, Elias' partner assisted another victim, an older man holding his arm in pain.
"Can you tell me what happened?" Elias' partner asked.
The man groaned. "Some idiot! He just swerved out of nowhere! Like he wasn't even looking! I was lucky—my car just clipped another, but I saw others get hit hard."
"Do you remember what the car looked like?" Elias' partner pressed.
"Dark-colored... maybe a sedan? Everything happened so fast, I couldn't tell."
Suddenly, a scream cut through the chaos. One of the injured, his head bleeding, pushed people aside as he stumbled to his feet.
"That bastard!" he roared, his voice thick with rage. "He caused this! He—he should pay for this!"
Elias turned just in time to see the man shoving rescuers away. His partner moved toward him, hands raised. "Sir, you need to calm down. You're hurt—"
"Where is he?!" the man bellowed. His bloodshot eyes scanned the wreckage before locking onto another survivor—a younger man cowering near a dented sedan.
Elias took a step forward. "Sir, I understand you're upset, but we need you to stay calm. You're injured—let us help you first."
The man's fists clenched, his breathing heavy. "He did this! He needs to answer for it!"
Elias' partner stepped closer. "Look, I know you're angry, but violence won't fix this. We're here to help everyone, including you. Let us do our job."
The man's eyes darted between Elias and his partner before settling on the young driver. "He doesn't deserve to just sit there! People are hurt because of him!"
Elias took a deep breath. "We don't know what happened yet. Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe he lost control. But right now, your body is in shock, and you're bleeding. Let us help."
The man hesitated, his shoulders trembling. "I... I just can't believe this is happening. My wife—she was in our car. She's hurt too."
Elias nodded. "We'll check on her together. But first, sit down. Let me bandage your head before you pass out."
The man let out a heavy sigh and dropped to his knees. Elias grabbed his kit and started cleaning the wound.
"You paramedics... you see this all the time?"
Elias exchanged a glance with his partner. "More than we should. But every time, we do what we can to make sure people get out of it alive."
The man scoffed. "It must be exhausting. Seeing so much pain and still having to keep going."
Elias wrapped the gauze tightly. "It is. But helping even one person makes it worth it."
A few moments later, the man's hands curled into fists again as he spotted the young driver. His rage reignited, and he forced himself to his feet.
"No! He needs to answer for this!"
Before Elias or his partner could intervene, the enraged man stormed toward the young driver.
"You!" he screamed, stumbling toward him. "You did this!"
The accused man paled. "No—no, please! It wasn't—"
Before Elias or his partner could intervene, the enraged man threw a punch, knocking Elias' partner to the ground. The next moment, he reached for his waistband—
A gun.
Elias' breath caught.
"I'm gonna kill you!" the man shouted, pressing the weapon to the younger man's forehead.
The terrified man sobbed. "Please! Please don't!"
Elias' instincts took over. He lunged forward. "No!"
A gunshot echoed through the night.
The angry man froze. "Did I get him?"
The accused man frantically checked his body, searching for a wound—but there was nothing. Then, he saw Elias standing in front of him, a weak smile on his lips.
"Good," Elias whispered.
His partner's eyes widened. "Elias! Your chest!"
Elias glanced down. Blood seeped through his uniform, a dark crimson stain spreading.
"Oh," he murmured. "I got shot."
His legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the pavement.
The shooter stumbled back, his hands trembling. "I... I didn't mean to... I—"
Elias' partner was at his side in an instant. "Stay with me, Elias! Damn it! Help! We need help here!"
Elias' vision blurred, the sirens and shouting fading into a distant hum. Darkness crept in, his world narrowing to a single point.
Then—
A voice.
"Finish your food."
Confusion settled in. What... who's talking?
"I said, finish your food, Lucian Ardent!"
Elias' eyes snapped open.
He was no longer on the cold pavement. Instead, he sat at an ornate dining table, a half-eaten meal before him. Across from him, a man dressed in noble attire stared at him with impatience.
Elias' heart pounded. Where am I? Who is Lucian?
To be continued...